U.S. patent number 4,609,196 [Application Number 06/660,434] was granted by the patent office on 1986-09-02 for zig-zag ball.
Invention is credited to Zoran Bozinovic.
United States Patent |
4,609,196 |
Bozinovic |
September 2, 1986 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Zig-zag ball
Abstract
A zig-zag ball useful as a toy or in sports is disclosed. The
ball moves in a zig-zag manner when rolled out on a flat horizontal
surface. The zig-zag movement is achieved by a mechanism placed
inside the ball which alters the center of gravity of the ball as
it rolls. One embodiment of the invention comprises a ball
containing an internal shaft with engraved left and right threads,
a hollow cylinder slideably mounted on the shaft, a weight attached
to the cylinder and a pin on the cylinder contacting and following
the threads on the shaft as the ball rolls and the cylinder turns
on the shaft.
Inventors: |
Bozinovic; Zoran (11000
Belgrade, YU) |
Family
ID: |
24649520 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/660,434 |
Filed: |
October 11, 1984 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/594; 446/437;
473/595 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B
43/04 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63B
43/00 (20060101); A63B 43/04 (20060101); A63B
071/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;273/128R,128A,143C,138R,58F,58R,1M ;446/437 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Pinkham; Richard C.
Assistant Examiner: Brown; T.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Willian Brinks Olds Hofer Gilson
& Lione Ltd.
Claims
I claim:
1. A ball which moves in a zig-zag manner when rolled
comprising:
(a) a body,
(b) a shaft traversing two points at opposite sides of the
body,
(c) left and right threads engraved on said shaft,
(d) a hollow cylinder slideably mounted on said shaft,
(e) a pin connected to said cylinder and slideably contacting said
threads and
(f) a weight attached to said cylinder such that said weight, pin
and threads cooperate to cause said cylinder to reciprocatingly
traverse said shaft as said ball rolls.
2. A ball which moves in a zig-zag manner when rolled comprising a
body and means inside said body for altering the center of gravity
of the ball in a reciprocating manner as the ball rolls
comprising:
a shaft transversing a diameter of said ball and attached at points
at opposite sides of said body,
(b) left and right threads engraved on said shaft,
(c) a means mounted on said shaft,
(d) a pin connected to said means and slideably contacting said
threads and
(e) a weight attached to said means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a special kind of ball which moves in a
zig-zag manner when rolled out on a flat horizontal surface. Such a
ball is a toy or a sports requisite. As far as is known, a ball
with similar characteristics has never been invented and/or
made.
The object of this invention is to provide a ball suitable for an
"anti-bowling" game, i.e. a game in which the aim is to roll the
ball out in a bowling manner, with the intention to avoid obstacles
distributed on a flat surface in front of the player.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The main characteristic of the zig-zag ball according to the
invention is that the ball, rolling freely on a flat horizontal
surface, travels along a sinusoidal path. This kind of movement is
achieved by a mechanism placed inside the ball which causes the
center of gravity of the ball to reciprocate in a repeating pattern
as the ball rolls. One mechanism for achieving this result consists
of a shaft with left and right threads traversing the hollow
interior of the ball, a weight slidably supported on the shaft and
a pin attached to the weight support which contacts the
threads.
The same movement can be achieved by a mechanism consisting of a
hollow endless spiral tube with a heavy metal ball running through
it, or by a mechanism consisting of a system of balanced
levers.
Additional features of the invention will be evident from the
following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention,
given by way of example only, and by reference to the appended
drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a vertical radial section view of a preferred embodiment
of the ball of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawing, the zig-zag ball according to the
invention consists of a body 1, in which there is a shaft 2 with a
left and right thread 4. A hollow cylinder 6 with a weight 3 and a
pin 5 is slipped on the shaft 2. The pin 5 is in contact with the
threads 4 engraved in the shaft 2.
While the ball is rolling, the body 1 and the shaft 2 are rotating,
but the weight 3 does not permit rotation of the cylinder 6 slipped
on the shaft 2. In that way, the weight 3, with the cylinder 6 and
the pin 5, is forced to move axially along the shaft 2, from one
side to another. When the pin 5 comes to the end of the right
thread, it continues following the left thread (and vice-versa),
which means that the weight 5, the cylinder 6 and the pin 3 start
moving to the other side of the ball. The consequence of that axial
movement is an oscillation of the center of gravity of the whole
device, from one side to another. That reciprocating oscillation
forces the rolling ball to enter left or right turns, which results
in a zig-zag movement of the ball.
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